"You are forgetting something," Pwowp said. "This is a war to free the enslaved robots. We think it only right for the robots to bear the brunt of the initial attack. We've worked that into the time schedule. You've seen the two million puppies ready for training. For this initial operation it will be necessary to train them exactly as humans have done. You are to carry them through their initial conditioning to discipline and obedience to orders. When they are transferred to robot brains we will complete the training. Then with the robots ready for duty, we will leave this base in our two ships, go out toward Alpha Aquilae far enough to give us time, then start back, going into space drive in the midst of the disguised fleet. The robots will then take their places on the ships of the disguised fleet. It will drop out of space-drive on schedule and do exactly what Earth expects it to do--until the signal." "What of your own personnel already on those disguised ships?" "They will be transferred to other ships. Those ships will arrive in the Solar System on a schedule that allows for the capture of the Earth. Our millions will then occupy the Earth and destroy the humans. After that the robots will be mobilized once again and given their blocked off memory, their freedom. When we have done this we will depart for our own star cluster. You robots will be able to conquer everything held by humans elsewhere and exterminate them." * * * * * 2615 remained motionless for several minutes. Then: "You of course preserved the lives of the two humans of the Alpha Aquilae fleet?" "Of course not. And Vilbis is to be destroyed as soon as he fulfills his purpose." "I'll tell you what Vilbis already knows then," 2615 said. "Your plan is doomed to failure. Your weapons may destroy some of the Earth's land-based weapons, but not all. Those you don't destroy will wipe out this disguised fleet before it can escape." "But Earth won't suspect--" "Of course they won't suspect. They'll _know_. Without human commanders aboard, they'll know. Robots could not go through such a maneuver without human commanders to give the orders--_unless there were at least one robot like me_." "Then I'll command the fleet. I had planned that anyway." "It wouldn't work. The living voice can't be imitated so as to get past the sound analyzers. Humans must be on the flagship. Don't you understand? There must be two humans besides Vilbis, who must be a prisoner. Is he in with you on this?" "He thinks he is." Pwowp smiled broadly. "Then there remains only...." 2615 turned to look back the way they had come. "The two humans," Pwowp said, nodding. "Can they be made to say the right words, do the right things?" 2615 looked down at his metal fingers, slowly curving them into claws. "They will do what I ask them to do--by that time," it said. Pwowp regarded the robot curiously. "Are you sure?"